FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159  
160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   >>   >|  
wn! There's no sense in taking offence at a joke you can't understand. And it would be bad manners to have a row, with that poor soul in there at death's door. Moreover, if you really want to marry the princess _Juliette_, it'll pay you to be friends with me." "I doubt if anything would induce me to be that," said Dick curtly. "Oh, really? What have I done? No, don't tell me! It would take too long. I am aware I'm a by-word for wickedness in these parts, heaven alone knows why. But at least I've never injured you." Saltash's smile was suddenly disarming again. "Never had much opportunity, have you?" said Dick. "No, but I've got one now--quite a good one. I could put an end to this little idyll of yours for instance without the smallest difficulty--if I felt that way." "I don't believe you!" flashed Dick. "No? Well, wait till I do it then!" There was amused tolerance in Saltash's rejoinder. "You'll pipe another tune then, I fancy." "Shall I?" Dick said. He paused a moment, his eyes, extremely bright, fixed unwaveringly upon the swarthy face in front of him. "If I do--you'll dance to it!" he said with grim assurance. Saltash smothered a laugh. "Well done, I say! You've scored a point at last! I was waiting for that. You'll like me better now, most worthy cavalier. I daren't suggest a drink under the circumstances, but I'll owe you one." He extended his hand with a royal air. "Will you shake?" Dick held back. "Will you play the game?" he said. Saltash grinned. "My own game? Certainly! I always do." Dick's hand came out to him. Somehow he was hard to refuse. "A straight game?" he said. Saltash's brows expressed amused surprise. "I always play straight--till I begin to lose,--chevalier," he said. "And then--you cheat?" questioned Dick. "Like the devil," laughed Saltash. "We all do that. Don't you?" "No," Dick said briefly. "You don't? You always put all your cards on the table? Come now! Do you?" Dick hesitated, and Saltash's grin became more pronounced. "All right! You needn't answer," he said lightly. "Do you know I thought you weren't quite as simple as you appeared at first sight. Just as well perhaps. _Juliette's_ cavalier mustn't be too rustic." He stopped to look at Dick appraisingly. "Yes, I'm glad on the whole that your intentions are honourable," he ended with a smile. "I rather doubt if you pull 'em off. But you may--you may." He turned sharply with the words as if a hand ha
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159  
160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Saltash

 

cavalier

 
straight
 

amused

 

Juliette

 
Certainly
 

honourable

 
refuse
 
Somehow
 

intentions


grinned
 

circumstances

 

extended

 

sharply

 

suggest

 

worthy

 

turned

 

waiting

 

hesitated

 
pronounced

lightly
 

thought

 

simple

 
answer
 
appeared
 

questioned

 

appraisingly

 
chevalier
 

surprise

 

laughed


briefly
 

rustic

 

stopped

 
expressed
 

wickedness

 

injured

 

suddenly

 

disarming

 

heaven

 
curtly

induce

 
understand
 

manners

 
offence
 
taking
 

princess

 
friends
 

Moreover

 

bright

 
extremely